Lodi officers find man dead during jail check

A man died Wednesday while in the custody of the Lodi Police Department, authorities said.

Jason Anderson

A man died Wednesday while in the custody of the Lodi Police Department, authorities said.

James Romero, 43, was arrested about 5 p.m. Tuesday on suspicion of trespassing at a Lodi residence. He also had a warrant for a parole violation.

Romero was booked into Lodi City Jail, where he was found unresponsive during a jail check Wednesday morning, officials said. Authorities began resuscitation efforts before Romero was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later, police said.

Authorities have initiated a protocol investigation into Romero's death, said Lt. Chris Piombo, a spokesman for the Lodi Police Department. The case is being investigated by a task force that includes members of the Lodi Police Department, San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office and the San Joaquin County Coroner's Office.

"There was no struggle," Piombo said. "It was just a routine trespassing arrest, and we held him because of the parole violation. There was nothing out of the ordinary."

Romero is the second inmate to die in the custody of Lodi police since the jail opened in January 2004. Ronald Keith Meier, 67, died in his cell of natural causes in January 2005, Piombo said.

Romero is believed to be the second inmate to die in police custody in San Joaquin County this year. James Cook, 57, died April 12 in the custody of the Stockton Police Department. The investigation into his death has not been completed.

Cook was struck by batons after trying to flee and refusing to obey orders following a traffic stop at West Lane and Bianchi Road, police said. Officers followed standard procedure, taking Cook to the hospital for observation because force was used to apprehend him, authorities said. Officers found him unresponsive when they arrived at the hospital, and efforts to revive him were unsuccessful, police said.